Jesse: “And welcome back to The Project! It’s the middle of the campaign, and there’s one big issue at the top of everyone’s minds: housing. After reaching out to all the major parties, usually eliciting no response, we’re now joined by imnofox, co-leader of the Greens. Kia ora!”

imnofox: “Kia ora, Jesse- it’s great to be here tonight.”

Kanoa: “The housing crisis is still a huge burden on families across the country, with significant flow-on effects for renters also. What needs to be done?”

imnofox: “For a start, we need to be building more houses, especially state housing, rather than trying to sell them off to wealthy speculators like the previous government shamefully attempted. There are over 6000 families in need of state housing who have been turned away simply because there isn’t enough. Successive governments have failed to build more, preferring to leave it up to a broken housing market. Despite New Zealand being one of the wealthiest countries in the world, we still have people, including children, living in cars, garages, and under bridges. That is unacceptable, and the solution is clear.”

Jesse: “How many houses are you planning to build?”

imnofox: “We’re going to build 15,000 new houses, 6,500 of which will go directly to replenishing our depleted public housing stock- the same stock National tried to sell off to the wealthy. 5,500 will be made available through progressive rent-to-buy arrangements to families to who can’t afford a deposit or mortgage. The remaining 3,000 will be made available to community housing providers.”

Mark Richardson: “But isn’t a rent-to-buy arrangement exactly what National tried to pass? It’s in the name!”

imnofox: “And you’d think years in media would mean people like you, but no. That bill had no provisions to allow for the purchase to be progressively paid for as part of the rent, which is the key component. Instead, that bill just gave tenants the right of first refusal to buy that house at 10% less than market rate when Housing NZ chooses to sell the house. It’s obvious that 10% less than market rate in this economy is still totally unaffordable for any state house tenant, so in practice would have only served as a mechanism to discreetly sell of our state houses to the highest bidders. That’s unacceptable, especially when we’re at such a shortage.”

Kanoa: “How much will your rent-to-own scheme save tenants?”

imnofox: “Great question, yeah, so progressive homeowners will pay a weekly payment of no more than 25% of their household income. Part of that’s rent, and the remainder will be equity shares in the home. Over time, the ownership of the home will progressively transfer from the Crown to the tenants. This plan will save people more than $100 a week compared to a commercial mortgage, and that’s a huge difference for low income families.” Mark Richardson: “I’m a landlord, what will this do to the value of my property?”

imnofox: “Sorry Mark, but people getting a warm dry home with a roof over their heads, taking them off the streets, out of garages, out from under bridges and into permanent accommodation trumps the value of your property. I’m sure you wouldn’t want to be profiting off of the misery of our most vulnerable New Zealanders?”

Josh Thomson: “Uhh, when I was twelve I earned about $5 pocket money a week, which is pretty low income. Would twelve year old me qualify for this package?”

imnofox: “Ha, well, if you’re a twelve year old without appropriate safe accomodation then there’s definitely services already available, which we’ll also finally fund properly.”

Jesse: “Thanks for coming on the show, and good luck on the campaign!”

imnofox: “Thanks, it’s great to be here!”

imnofox sidled off of the set, quickly downed a couple shots to get him through the night, and fell asleep in his green taxi as he travelled to the next campaign stop